Rotary brush mounting



Feb. 4, 1964 c. T. LANSTROM ROTARY BRUSH MOUNTING Filed Nov. 21, 1961 in a&.

. IN V! N 7' 0R CARL 7'. L A/VSTROM A lfo rney United States Patent 3,120,018 ROTARY BRUSH MOUNTING Carl T. Lanstrom, Concord, Califi, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 153,355 Claims. (61. 15179) This invention relates to an improved mounting for rotary brushes or the like.

My mounting is particularly useful for brushes which scrub metal strip in a continuous processing line, such as an annealing line. Such lines commonly include upper and lower power-driven rotating brushes positioned to contact the respective strip faces, and respective back-up rolis mounted opposite each brush to contact the other face. Typical brush arrangements for this purpose are shown in Carpenter Patent No. 884,313, Quigley et al. Patent No. 2,278,944, or Bargfeldt et al. Patent No. 2,281,256. Such brushes are comparatively short-lived, yet their removal and replacement have been awkward and time-consuming. In one installation with which I am familiar, brushes must be replaced weekly. To change the lower brush, the back-up roll must be removed, the strip cut and the threading chain split. These operations take several hours, and brushes can be changed only during a maintenance down turn. Sometimes brushes may not be completely worn out, but are discarded anyway, as down time for replacement is too long for changeovers to be made during a production recess.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mounting which enables a rotating device, such as a brush in a strip processing line, to be removed and replaced quickly and easily.

A further object is to provide an improved mounting which enables a rotary brush or the like to be removed and replaced without disturbing other parts, for example in a strip processing line eliminating need to remove back-up rolls or cut the strip.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional View partly in elevation of a rotary brush mounted in accordance with my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the mounting at the left or operators end;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section on line IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional View on line IV-IV of FIGURE 1 and on a larger scale showing the mechanical connection between the brush and shaft at the right or drive end; and

FIGURE 5 is a view on line VV of FIGURE 1 and on a scale similar to FIGURE 4 showing the connection at the left or operators end.

FIGURE 1 shows a conventional rotary brush which is removably supported on a shaft 12 and is adapted to scrub either the top or bottom surface of a continuous strip. The right or drive end of the shaft is journaled in antifriction bearings '13 whose housing is fixed in a saddle 14-. This end of the shaft has an extension 15 adapted to be connected to a suitable drive motor, not shown. As best shown in FIGURE 4, the shaft has an integral flange 16 near its right end. I fit a gripper ring 17 over the shaft abutting this flange and hold the ring in place with a key 18. I fit an adapter 19 over the shaft abutting the gripper ring and hold the adapter in place with set screws 20. The gripper ring also has an integral key 21 on its inner end face received in a cooperating keyway in the outer end face of the ,tapered portion on the end of shaft 12.

3,120,018 Patented Feb. 4, 1964 adapter. Brush 10 has a central opening 22 whose inside diameter exceeds the outside diameter of shaft 12 by at least inch. I have found this feature is essential to enable the brush to be removed freely from the shaft. If these parts fit snugly, dirt accumulates and prevents easy removal. I fit a key 23 in cooperating keyways in the adapter and brush.

The mounting at the left or operators end of the shaft includes a quill 27 journaled in anti-friction bearings 28 spaced from bearings 13 and aligned therewith. Bearings 28 have a housing 29 which I removably fix in a saddle 31). For this purpose housing 29 carries integral lugs 31 which extend from each side and have relatively large vertical openings. Bushings 32 are loosely received in the lug openings and are fastened to the saddle with bolts 33. This anrangement allows limited axial movement of the housing and bearings as shaft 12 expands and contracts with temperature changes, since I may use the brush in solutions at temperatures of 200 F. or hi er. Quill 27 has an axial bore 34 and a tapered counterbore 35 which removably receives a correspondingly I lit a second adapter 35 into the end of the :centrm opening 22 of brush 1t) and over shaft 12 abutting the inner end of the quill. The quill has an integral key 37 On its end face received in a corresponding keyway in the end face of the adapter. I also fit a key 38 in cooperating keyways in the adapter and brush. The two adapters 19 and 36 and keys 23 and 38 transmit rotary motion of shaft 12 to brush 10.

A push-out tube 40 extends through the quill bore 34, and has external screw threads 41 engaging internal threads in the bore. The outer end portion of the pushout tube has flats 42 to enable the tube to be turned relative to the quill, as with a wrench. A draw bar 43 extends through the bore of the push-out tube and is threadedly engaged at its inner end with the end of shaft 12 and has a head 44 at its outer end. The exterior of the quill carries a conventional fiinger 45. A cover 46 is mounted on the end of the bearing housing 28 for safety purposes.

When I wish to change brushes, I remove cover 46, bolts 33 and bushings 32. I then turn the push-out tube 4t) in a direction to push the assembly consisting of quill 27, bearings 28 and housing 29 away from shaft 12 and I remove draw bar 43. Next I lift the housing assembly out of saddle 30' with overhead lifting means, not shown. I strip the Worn brush 10 from shaft 12 through the side of the machine and saddle 30, which have openings large enough to allow a new brush of required outside diameter to pass. Adapter 36 at the left comes out with the worn brush, but adapter 19 at the right remains in place on shaft 12. I insert adapter 36 in a new brush and slip this brush on the shaft. I reposition the housing assembly on saddle 30' and turn the push-out tube 40 in a direction to move it outwardly suflioiently that its end can clear the end of shaft 12. I insert draw bar 43 in the push-out tube and into threaded engagement with the shaft and turn the draw bar until 1 effect a rigid connection with key 37 received in its keyway in adapter 36. The push-out tube acts as a lock nut for the draw bar after the parts are thus assembled. Finally I replace bolts 33, bushings 32 and cover 46.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that my invention affords a simple mounting which enables a brush or the like to be removed from a shaft and replaced with a minimum of disturbance of other parts. The adapters which position the brush on the shaft and transrn-it rotation thereto enable the brush to fit loosely on the shaft. I find this arrangement is critical in enabling a worn brush to be removed easily. Operating personnel can perform the changeover in a few minutes Whenever necessary, and there is no need to wait for a down turn. I have not shown conventional parts of the installation, such as the back-up roll or the means supporting the saddles, since no showing is needed for an understanding of my invention.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, 'I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A rotary brush assembly comprising a horizontal shaft, first bearing means in which one end of said shaft is journaled, removabl y mounted second bearing means spaced from said first bearing means and aligned therewith, a quill journaled in said second bearing means, means within said quill removably attaching said quill to the other end of said shaft, a brush having a central opening whose inside diameter is substantially greater than the outside diameter of said shaft loosely receiving the shaft, a first adapter fixed to said shaft adjacent said first bearing means and removably keyed to one end of said brush, and a second adapter keyed to the other end of said brush and to said quill, said adapters cooperating to fix the brush on the shaft and transmit rotary movement of the shaft to the brush yet permitting easy removal of the brush after removal of said second bearing means.

2. A rotary brush assembly comprising a horizontal shaft, first bearing means in which one end of said shaft is journaled, a saddle fixed in spaced relation to said first heating means, second bearing means removably mounted on said saddle and aligned with said first bearing means, a quill journaled in said second bearing means, means within said quill removably attaching said quill to the other end of said shaft and being accessible at the end of said second bearing means for attaching and detaching the quill and shaft, a brush having a central opening 'whose inside diameter is substantially greater than the outside diameter of said shaft loosely receiving the shaft, a first adapter fixed to said shaft adjacent said first bearing means and removably keyed to one end of said brush, and a second adapter keyed to the other end of said brush and to said quill, said adapters cooperating to fix the brush on the shaft and transmit rotary movement of the shaft to the brush yet permitting easy removal of the brush after removal of said second bearing means.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 2 in which said second bearing means has limited movement in the axial direction with respect to said saddle to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of said shaft.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 2 in which the means attaching said quill to said shaft includes a pushout tube extending through the bore of said quill and adapted to abut the end of said shaft and threadedly engaged with said quill, and a draw bar extending through the bore of said tube and threadedly engaged with the end of said shaft.

5. A rotary brush assembly comprising a horizontal shaft, first bearing means in which one end of said shaft is journaled, a saddle fixed in spaced relation to said first bearing means, second bearing means removably mounted on said saddle and aligned with said first bearing means, a quill journaled in said second bearing means and having a bore extending therethrough and a tapered counterbore in its inner end, the other end of said shaft having a tapered portion received in said counterbore, a pushout tube extending through the bore of said quill and adapted to abut the end of said shaft and threadedly engaged with said quill, a draw bar extending through the bore of said tube and threadedly engaged with the end of said shaft, said tube and draw bar being accessible for turning from the end of said quill opposite said shaft for detaching and attaching the quill and shaft, a brush having a central opening whose inside diameter is substantially greater than the outside diameter of said shaft loosely receiving the shaft, a first adapter fixed to said shaft adjacent said first bearing means and removably keyed to one end of said brush, and a second adapter keyed to the other end of said brush and to said quill, said adapters cooperating to fix the brush on the shaft and transmit rotary movement of the shaft to the brush yet permitting easy removal of the brush after removal of said second bearing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,599 Key July 27, 1909 1,281,777 Hardy Oct. 15, 1918 1,482,744 Heffernan Feb. 5, 1924 1,546,564 Cameron July 21, 1925 2,297,976 Nachtman Oct. 6, 1942 2,453,339 Peterson Nov. 9, 1948 2,543,657 Brown Feb. 27, 1951 2,907,063 Jones Oct. 6, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 850,461 Great Britain Oct. 5, 1960 

1. A ROTARY BRUSH ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL SHAFT, FIRST BEARING MEANS IN WHICH ONE END OF SAID SHAFT IS JOURNALED, REMOVABLY MOUNTED SECOND BEARING MEANS SPACED FROM SAID FIRST BEARING MEANS AND ALIGNED THEREWITH, A QUILL JOURNALED IN SAID SECOND BEARING MEANS, MEANS WITHIN SAID QUILL REMOVABLY ATTACHING SAID QUILL TO THE OTHER END OF SAID SHAFT, A BRUSH HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING WHOSE INSIDE DIAMETER IS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID SHAFT LOOSELY RECEIVING THE SHAFT, A FIRST ADAPTER FIXED TO SAID SHAFT ADJACENT SAID FIRST BEARING MEANS AND REMOVABLY KEYED TO ONE END OF SAID BRUSH, AND A SECOND ADAPTER KEYED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID BRUSH AND TO SAID QUILL, SAID ADAPTERS COOPERATING TO FIX THE BRUSH ON THE SHAFT AND TRANSMIT ROTARY MOVEMENT OF THE SHAFT TO THE BRUSH YET PERMITTING EASY REMOVAL OF THE BRUSH AFTER REMOVAL OF SAID SECOND BEARING MEANS. 